The Mask of a Forgotten Mind
by Naomi Shadows
Summary: When the war ended Yue Jin vanished, leaving everyone behind. He started a secret life, pretending to be a simple farmer and hoped to forget his hopeless love. When an unconscious man with amnesia arrives on his farm who looks remarkably like Li Dian, Yue Jin has to come to terms with his feelings. JinXDian, YAOI
1. Chapter 1

**The Mask of a Forgotten Mind**

 **Chapter 1**

The war was over... but no matter how hard he tried to leave it behind, Yue Jin couldn't erase it from his mind. The memories lingered no matter how far he ran…

In a remote village where no one knew of his past, history still followed. Quiet whispers here and there about the aftermath of great battles still came up. A scar was left even in the nearly forgotten farmland. In addition, a trained warrior could not forget skills that were almost automatic after so many years. He had a small understanding of medical techniques, enough to survive during a battle, and so he found himself at home sitting beside an unconscious man laying in his bed.

Even his vague understanding of medicine was more than those in the little village so they came to him in need. Somehow he couldn't bring himself to tell them no and generally it wasn't anything too difficult. A sprained ankle. Sometimes heat stroke. An animal bite. Usually it was simple cuts and bruises. Nothing he couldn't handle with a little patience and the appreciation seemed to brighten his day. The few hours of moments of company were nice since he spent most days alone.

Maybe he had gone soft. He was pretending to be a simple farmer. The villagers liked his patient and quiet side. It seemed like the old warrior aggression had dwindle into nothing more than a small buzz in the depths of his mind. He even owned a house and a small farm, enough to support his new life… and yet... he stared down at the man in his bed like the war had caught up with him once again.

It had been months since he had seen or spoken to any of his old friends, but the moment he saw the stranger he thought it was Li Dian. He had been frozen in the doorway at the sight of the unconscious man half draped over one of the farmers that lived nearby. The farmer had told him the story of finding the man, but it hadn't registered the first time.

After calming down he realized he was just jumping to conclusions. The stranger was tall and had the same wavy black hair as Li Dian… sure… but he was dirty and had a thick black beard. His clothes were disheveled, torn and fraying from overuse. He looked more like a hermit that had been squatting in the woods. Apparently, the farmer had stumbled upon the unconscious man deep in the woods while he had been out hunting. Unable to wake him, he had brought the man to the closest thing to a doctor in town. Glad to be rid of the problem the farmer handed over the stranger and went on his way.

That was over an hour ago.

Jin sat in a chair beside the bed patiently waiting for the stranger to stir, all the while trying to convince himself that it _wasn't_ his old friend. He was still plagued with guilt about leaving him behind. They had been inseparable during the war. It was still painful to think of him, but that was in the past. He could only remain sane if he refused to think about it.

He examined the stranger again, pushing aside some of the shaggy black hair hanging in his eyes. Jin assumed he was just projecting his own longing onto the stranger, trying to see Dian in him out of some pitiful lonely yearning.

Dian had always been a beautiful man. Clean shaven and handsome, he had a long slender nose and strong chin. Reminiscent, he slid his fingers over the unconscious man's cheek. Long dark eyelashes were nearly hidden under the wave of hair. The resemblance was uncanny but he let out a sigh and sat back in his chair. There was no way the dirty old man was his old friend.

The fates were cruel.

Jin's ever present love for Li Dian obviously clouded his judgment. The man in the bed was just some wandering vagabond that got lost in the woods. Some weird hermit. Just as he crushed his last hope the stranger groaned.

Disoriented, he opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room. The last thing he remembered was... looking for food in the woods. He had been searching for so long and he was just so hungry. He had just laid down for a minute... he was just so hungry... but he wasn't about to die. He refused to die until he found...

"Here, have some water. You must be thirsty." The voice startled him as he looked at Yue Jin with wide eyes. He had been searching for so long… at first, he thought it couldn't be real. Then he looked down at the bed. He could feel the blanket beneath his fingers. He looked at Jin and took the glass from his hand. Taking a sip he felt the water run across his tongue. A wave of relief washed over him and he chugged down the rest of the glass.

Startled by the response Jin raised his hands but it was too late to stop his guest. "Be careful or you'll choke."

The words were followed by choking and coughing but that didn't stop the thirst.

Somehow the enthusiasm made Jin smile. He assumed it was just thirst. "Why were you out in the woods?"

The black haired man tried to respond but he found his voice caught in his throat. Those familiar brown eyes stared at him. The same tussled brown hair. The warm smile. He wasn't dreaming. It really was Yue Jin.

Apprehensive about the lack of response the brunette started to worry. "Can you tell me your name?"

 _He doesn't recognize me._ His heart sank. He wanted to yell _it's me. Li Dian. Can't you tell it's me? Don't you recognize your old friend?_ but as the thoughts raced through his head, his mouth betrayed him. "I don't remember." Instantly he wanted to smack himself.

Nodding slowly Jin made a decision. Maybe it was crazy, but he wanted to help the man. "I don't really have any experience with this but maybe you have amnesia. Do you remember anything? What about your name?"

Crying inside about his own cowardice Dian covered his face with his hands and lied again. "I don't know."

Unaware of the completely familiar man, afraid to admit it could be real, Yue Jin accepted the lie whole-heartedly. He leaned in and patted the 'stranger' on the shoulder. "Don't worry. You just need some rest. I'm sure your memories will come back to you."

Feeling defeated, Dian looked up at his old friend.

When their eyes met, Jin stopped, paralyzed by the blue eyes looking at him. The pitiful expression brought old memories to the front of his mind. Images of the war, fighting with his partner, his best friend and those puppy-dog eyes he use to make when he didn't get what he wanted. Guilt attacked him again but it was quickly replaced by anger. Li Dian, the real Li Dian was handsome. He was gorgeous and flashy. There was no way the grungy, disheveled, plain looking man on the bed could be Li Dian. No way.

With his feelings hardened Yue Jin relaxed. "Would you like some more water? You must be thirsty."

Handing the glass over, Dian gently nodded his head.

With a smile the brunette took the glass and left the room giving the other man a moment of peace.

Unable to resist any longer, Dian slapped his forehead feeling dumb. Where the lie had come from he had no idea… he had been so surprised that the words just flew out. He had been searching for months and when they were finally face to face, Yue Jin didn't even recognize him? Since the day the man disappeared Dian's every waking moment had been occupied by Jin. Was it all for nothing? A wave of disappointment waved over him and it was hard to breathe. He fell back into bed feeling dumbstruck.

Shortly, Jin arrived with more water. Noticing the man's distress he returned to his seat by the bed and placed the glass on the side-table. "I can't help you get your memories back... but if you want, you can stay here for a few days." Before he could respond, he stood up. "Just get some rest for now. Maybe you'll remember something in the morning." He started to walk away.

Dian turned to watch the retreating figure hoping for a reason to ask him to stay. Nothing came to mind...

Jin hesitated in the doorway, turning back after a moment. "You know, I can't just call you nothing." He paused for a long time but decided it would be alright. "How about I call you Dian?" The other man stared back in silent shock. "You look a bit like an old friend of mine."

He forced himself to respond. "Sure..."

With a little smile Jin nodded a goodnight and shut the door.

Heart racing, Dian smiled to himself thinking maybe things weren't as bad as he thought. He could pretend to have amnesia after all and find out about his friend's real feelings without being found out. He wanted to find out why Jin had left him behind. Most of all he wanted to know if his own feelings for Jin were still alive.

He blew out the lantern beside the bed and hoped for a peaceful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The red rays of the sun entered through the window to signal morning and Li Dian laid in bed, still tired after a fitful sleep. He continued to run scenarios through his head, telling Jin the truth, but they all ended badly. No matter the circumstance or how close they got in his imagination, even his dream Jin was angry about the lies. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

When he finally got out of bed the sun had long since risen and the real Yue Jin had been out working on the farm for hours. Still sore from the trudge through the woods he arched his back for a satisfying stretch before heading outside to look for his 'farmer' friend.

Uncomfortable in his used clothes he realized he needed a bath. His hair was so long and shaggy the black locks hung in front of his eyes. His beard was so long he scratched it automatically. No wonder Jin had been so easily fooled by the disguise. The truth was, in the wilderness Dian never found a point to groom himself like he use to and the cold was easier to deal with, especially with the beard.

For the time being it made the lie easier...

With most of the hard work complete, Jin decided to chop some wood that had been getting out of hand behind the house. A fresh stack in the house would have been good for cold nights. The chopping became almost like a rhythm over time, one log after the next, each blow of the axe a swift punishing closure. Crack. Thump. The wood split with a tear and the axe thudded into the tree stump below. The two halves flew to the ground and struck with a satisfying clunk. His body was still strong from the fighting and it made heavy labor on the farm much easier. He had time to set one last log to be cut before he noticed the figure coming around the corner. With the axe still in one hand he had to stop and take in the unusual scene.

Dian had followed the sound around the corner but he looked like a man that had just stepped out of the shadows as if seeing the sun for the first time in his life. Jin tried to hold in his laughter but the other man was oblivious either way.

The disheveled General was distracted and he remembered all over again why he had been so enchanted with the brunette in the first place. He had a very sensual beauty beneath the scared exterior, attracting attention without intending to. Dian watched him take off his hat, running a hand through the chestnut strands and wiping the moisture away. He could see beads of sweat run across the bronze skin, down into the thin shirt guarding him from the sun. A meal for the eyes and he had no idea of the torment he was inflicting.

Greeting his 'new' friend with a smile, Jin waved him closer. "You're finally up. Did you sleep well?"

Nodding politely, Dian rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes. Thank you." He couldn't tell him no without admitting his dreams had been plagued by those brown eyes.

"Did you remember anything?"

"Not really." He continued to talk to avoid any further questions about his memory. He hadn't thought up any additional clever lies. "Do you think I could try that?" He pointed at the axe.

Jin looked down at the nearly forgotten weapon in his hand. "What, chopping wood?"

He nodded. "Maybe it will jog my memory." He tried not to smile, feeling a bit sly about his words. It was beginning to feel like a game instead of a lie.

Handing over the axe the brunette couldn't see any problem with the request. It was when the other man stood beside him that he paused. The way he had to look up at the stranger made a shiver run down his spine. He was taller than he expected, a height he was familiar with... Fingers brushed against his, bringing him back to life as the axe was removed from his hand. Almost too quickly Jin backed away to put some distance between them.

Dian noticed the pause but he tried to ignore it, unable to do anything about it just yet. Instead he focused his attention on the log and began to cut. His skills were still sharp because he never gave up fighting. The weight of the axe was next to nothing in comparison to the mass of his wheeled halberd. He imagined cutting the logs must be similar to cutting clouds it felt so easy. He struggled to keep his mouth shut knowing any quirky comments would give him away.

Yue Jin gapped at the first swing. He had expected a man found in the woods unconscious to be feeble. A ridiculous thought obviously. For the first time he noticed the taut muscular arms and wondered what physique was under the dirt-covered clothes. The ease of Dian's skill movements made Jin nervous. The denial that seemed so easy before started to strain against the memories trying to break down his walls. He tried to lighten the mood. "And I thought you'd be exhausted."

The axe thudded loudly into the stump, sending the split log tumbling to the ground. "Nope. I am physically fit." A glimmer of his personality escaped as he flexed his bicep. He grabbed another log.

A little more softly Jin asked, "You're not a farmer, are you?"

Absent-mindedly Dian answered. "Certainly not." He laughed and the sound seemed to penetrate the brunette's body. Thump. He carried on chopping.

Feeling self-conscious about being overly aware of his guest, Jin walked up to him and shoved his hat onto the dark hair, masking his face even more. "Dian." He tried the name out and swallowed the knot in his throat. "Let me draw you a bath. You still haven't cleaned up from yesterday."

Hesitantly Dian lifted his hand to touch the one still lingering on the hat. The second they touched Jin pulled away.

"I'll call you when it's ready." The brunette turned and raced towards the house. The sound of another log splitting followed.

Within the hour a hot bath was drawn and ready. Li Dian was more than happy to wash the filth away and relax in the warm water.

After cleaning up he reclined in the tub letting the water wash over his chest. It had been a while since he had a bath this nice. It was leagues better than a cool stream. Clean but uncomfortable. Pushing the wet hair out of his face he took a deep breath, inhaling the steam.

The peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a knock at the door. Jin's voice carried in, "How is it?"

Water slashed loudly as Dian sat up in the tub. "Uh, it's great! The water is nice and hot."

"Good." He cracked the door open. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Out of the bath and across the room in a split second, the dark haired man slammed against the door. It snapped shut. "No! Sorry. Uh, no, you can't." He stuttered, grasping for an excuse as he held the door closed, stark-naked. "I'm a- I'm ...shy." He felt foolish but the truth was, he'd been to the baths before with Jin and his battle scars wouldn't go unnoticed. A beard and scruffy hair couldn't erase the past. Plus he wouldn't be able to explain away his own stares the moment they were both naked.

Confused beyond words Jin just accepted the terrible explanation as the truth. "Oh. Okay. I apologize." He walked away feeling dazed.

Sighing in relief, Dian returned to the warm water feeling embarrassed and a bit chilly.

Finished cleaning up and given some clean clothes Dian entered the living room like a new man. He dried his hair to continue hiding his face and thanked Jin bashfully when they sat together. The brunette even made dinner while he had been in the bath.

They were quietly at first.

Taking a bite Dian decided to break the silence, unable to bare it any longer. "So you mentioned before... I look like an old friend."

In a good mood from cooking after the unusual bath confrontation, Jin smiled. "Well, he didn't have a beard." He let himself laugh at the thought.

"What happened? You're not friends anymore?" He pretended to chew longer just so he wouldn't have to talk before he got an answer.

Sighing, Jin tried to think of what to say but couldn't find the words. "It's not like that." His smile fell as he thought of Dian's smiling face, completely oblivious of the _real_ man's eyes judging his reaction.

"You were in love with him?" Dian asked, unable to hold back. Finding out secret feelings while pretending to be someone else was addicting.

The brunette nearly choked on his food, sitting up straight in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Trying not to laugh Dian continued eating like he wasn't interested. If he didn't act nonchalant he would get excited before finding out what he wanted to know. "You didn't tell him?"

"You're just guessing." Jin ate a few bites feeling sheepish but cautious.

Things sounded promising. As calmly as possible Li Dian told the truth... some truth. "He was probably in love with you. I bet he's out there looking for you every single day. He'll never give up. Not if he loves you." He found the next bite difficult to swallow.

The other man turned red with embarrassment. "That sounds crazy." He didn't want to get his hopes up but those words pierced straight through his heart.

Unable to stop Dian teased again. "So, do you love him?" He had all but forgotten about his food. "Come on, tell me. Don't make me beg."

Suddenly Jin froze, his heart skipping a beat. The embarrassment vanished and he looked at the man beside him with wide eyes. "What did you just say?"

Nearly caught off guard the dark haired General averted his gaze. "Nothing." He just hoped Jin would let it go. He pretended to be interested in his food again.

Confused, torn, Jin thought he must have heard wrong. 'Don't make me beg'. Li Dian use to say that... He must have heard him wrong... He stood up, not hungry any longer. "I try not to think about the past.'

That was the last time he spoke before they went to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Yue Jin was out of bed before sunrise. There was still time on the brisk dark morning before he needed to get started. He hadn't slept well and he woke early feeling mentally exhausted because of the previous night's conversation. Getting dressed in a slow mechanical manner he only went through the motions, hardly present. He ate breakfast but he didn't taste it. His mind was preoccupied.

When it was time to tend the fields he glance back at the bedroom door with a sigh and headed out. He spent most of his time brooding over the crops. When he finished the hardest work for the day he headed to the barn and started feeding the horses. They always soothed him.

For the first time he thought about everything happening around him. The stranger showing up… he was found too close to the village. No one hunts in the woods nearby except the local villagers and they never get lost. Maybe that was a coincidence but the likelihood of the stranger actually looking like Li Dian was too convenient. Even with the beard to distract him, Jin couldn't forget those dark eyes he had seen a thousand times. The way they looked at each other.

Something the man said the day before struck him again. _"I bet he's out there looking for you every single day. He'll never give up. Not if he loves you."_ That comment was too specific. The more he thought about it the more he sighed. There was no doubt… it had to be him.

There was just one thing. He said he couldn't remember anything and Jin had immediately accepted that. He didn't act like someone with amnesia. In fact he was too happy. Too curious. Too nosy.

It was also too good to be true. Color filled his cheeks as he recited the words again. If he was telling the truth it meant… they were both in love. The idea made his heart flutter. Li Dian had traveled for months searching endlessly until they could meet again. It all seemed very romantic. The bashful happiness simmered into irritation as he realized Li Dian was intentionally tricking him. _That jerk._ The horse nearby snorted, sensing his annoyance. He crossed his arms, filled with equal annoyance at his friend and himself. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in denial it would have been blatantly obvious he was being fooled. A smirk crept up at the corner of his lips as he decided he had to teach the man a lesson.

By the time Dian sheepishly approached the stables the brunette was calm and ready to talk. Looking at him for the first time knowing his true identity Jin nearly laughed. He looked awful. After stringing him along for a while he would have to apologize for making him keep that terrible beard. The other man started to apologize but the brunette cut him off. "Please, don't apologize. I'm the one who should say sorry. I over-reacted last night." He only hesitated when he met those big blue eyes, peeking out from the curtain of hair. "I-I'm sorry." He murmured.

The defeated demeanor disappeared as Dian straightened his back. "I'm still sorry. I shouldn't have been so nosy."

With a smirk Jin turned to the horse in the stall near him hoping for a distraction. He gently stroked her muzzle. "Well, that's true."

Dian stared in a daze, falling even deeper into love with his old friend. Seeing the gentle side of him was unusual but enthralling. The old Yue Jin was always trying to prove himself, putting himself in danger just to show his strength. This new Jin had nothing to prove. He was genuine.

"You're beautiful." He mumbled accidentally.

Their eyes met and Jin hoped he wasn't red. "Did you say something?"

His heart palpitated desperately but Dian was relieved his comment went unnoticed. "Yes." He ruffled his own hair trying to think of what to say. "I was saying... I feel bad I didn't help out yesterday so... put me to work."

Surprised, Jin almost didn't believe him. "Really?"

"Of course."

"Hm, okay." Listing off his daily chores in his mind Jin tried to prioritize his day. He patted his horse one last time. "Alright. First, let me run inside and grab another hat. You'll need it."

"Of course." Dian nodded.

Walking past him, Jin grasped Dian's shoulder in a friendly way, glancing at him playfully. He leaned in closer then he should and whispered, "Wait here." He hoped it would leave him breathless as he headed towards the house. It did…

Finding a hat was an easy task. Stepping inside his cozy home Jin headed back into his bedroom and into the closet. He grabbed one of the many hats inside and turned it over in his hands, thinking idly. _You're beautiful_. He said. He pretended not to hear but it was hard to miss such a sudden comment. It was hard to hide his smile at the time but now he grinned blissfully.

His eyes wandered down the large ornate box at the bottom of the closet. Smaller boxes were stacked on top of it like he was hiding a guilty pleasure.

Every once in a while he would take it out and open it.

Maybe… just once more…

Shoving the boxes away he pulled the larger box out and sat on the floor, the hat propped in his lap. His hand trailed over the wooden top, wiping away to dust. It had been so long. With a breath he reached for the clasps and popped them open. The sound was surprisingly exciting. Slowly he lifted the lid and looked at the gleaming blades inside, resting nicely in their home. His old friends. His hook-blades. Even after hiding them away, they still looked sharp enough to bite. Somehow his heart felt strangely at peace.

Folded delicately on top of the blades was an elegant blue fabric. He reached for it, running it between his fingers and removing it from the box. The blues changed from brighter sky to deeper sea on the long scarf but there was only one man who wore it. Li Dian. Yue Jin had stolen the keepsake the day he had disappeared.

He was in love with him back then. He had intended to tell him but when he went to Dian's room and found it empty he lost his nerve. He waited at first, but the longer he waited the more the fear grew. Finally when he couldn't wait any longer he snatched the scarf and ran, hoping he would be forgiven one day. It seemed Dian never did forgive him. The thought made his smile, knowing he was still in love with the man. Apparently the feeling was mutual.

Keeping the scarf in hand he closed up the box and put it away, this time promising not to hide his past any longer. Before heading out he set the scarf on the bed, trying to decide how to use it for a bit of fun.

Back in the barn Li Dian was standing rigid like a statue still thinking about the weird interaction that had occurred. It felt like he had been struck by lightning… his heart was hammering and his nerves were buzzing wildly. Had Yue Jin always been so sexy? His inner maiden nearly swooned for a moment when the man had whispered to him. He hadn't even said anything intimate… but the manner of speaking had been somehow…

"Right where I left you." Jin's voice ran up his spine like a shiver.

Dian wheeled around, clearing his throat. "You asked me to wait." The hat was shoved onto his head and they were suddenly very close. The black haired General swallowed the knot in his throat.

Jin noticed the reaction and enjoyed making his friend nervous, trying to get back at him for the lie. He pretended to act naturally, as if they weren't nearly chest to chest. "Ready to work?"

"L-lead the way." His voice nearly cracked for some reason. When Jin pulled away he chanced letting out a small breath. He pulled the hat down a little, feeling childish. He had no idea where the timid side of him was coming from but it was annoying and he desperately wished it would go away. Reluctantly he followed the farmer.

Work mode taking over, Yue Jin glanced back to make sure his helper was following. The other was right on his heels like a puppy and it made him smile. "I'm behind on firewood so I thought we could just chop more wood today." He looked for approval.

Dian realized there were eyes watching him and perked up. "Oh, sure. I don't mind." It was an easy task and it would be nice to warm up. When they were both standing over the axe Dian reached for it first. He started the work without much thought.

For a few minutes the brunette stood by and watched. Crossing his arms he glanced over his friend, eyes taking in the tall lean form in front of him. It was definitely familiar. He was mostly covered by clothing but that didn't matter. The way he moved was familiar. No mistaking it. "Dian."

Instantly he turned at the sound of his name. It was automatic. A second later his face contorted as he realized he just answered to his own name, nearly forgetting about the lie.

Yue Jin laughed under his breath, but continued as if nothing happened. "About what you said last night…"

Somehow the simple task of chopping wood was more difficult than Dian expected. "You don't need to say anything. It's not my place to ask." He reached for another log. Thump. The wood fell to the ground in two pieced.

 _Ironic, coming from you._ He thought with a little smile. Grabbing a log this time Jin moved to set it down on the tree stump. It would be faster to work together. "No, you were right about my friend." He looked up to see if there was any reaction but the black haired man was determined to keep a straight face. "I was in love with him. I still am." There was a long pause as he waited for the axe to swing again. It took longer than before.

Taking a breath, Dian swung the axe with more strength. The wood fell aside and it was replaced again but swift hands. Words were floating through his head as he tried to focus on chopping. It was like Jin was testing him to see how long it took him to react. Another log. He swung away. "Then why didn't you tell him?"

"Hm." Jin sighed. "I was going to, but I lost my nerve."

"Hm." Was the only response, save for the swing of the axe.

"I think you were right."

They glanced at each other but Dian made a face. "Right about what?" He made sure to keep swinging, almost creating a rhythm. Their teamwork was still prefect, even after months apart.

"About looking for me. If he loves me, he'll never stop." The axe hit the stump and didn't move again. Jin moved closer and reached up to remove Dian's hat. With his other hand he pushed the long hair up and out of his friend's eyes, holding them in place. Deep blue eyes stared down at him. "Can we clean you up now, Mr. Amnesia?" He couldn't pretend any longer.

Hand sliding away from the axe Dian was mixed with feelings. He felt guilty for lying but somehow he felt happy more than anything else. He couldn't bring himself to speak. He embraced Jin so tightly it was almost painful but he was afraid if he let go he might find out he was dreaming. After a moment of surprised, strong arms hugged back.

Mumbling into the brunette's shoulder Dian tried to apologize. "I'm so stupid. I'm sorry." More words came out as nothing more than sounds. "When I saw you I was so happy I didn't know what to do. I didn't mean to lie… I'm so dumb."

He patted the wide back swallowing him up but the weight of the other man's body was strangely comforting. It made it feel real. "Payback for me running away from you." He blinked away tears, trying not to get emotional.

When they were able to break apart Yue Jin took Li Dian by the hand and led him inside.

After a bath, a haircut and a shave the bathroom door opened. A tall handsome man stood in the threshold. The waves of black hair trimmed and neat made his light complexion all the more striking. The clean strong jaw-line and intense blue eyes were almost too much to bear. Young and gorgeous, just like Jin remembered.

"You'll need this." The brunette stood in front of him and wrapped the blue scarf around his neck. They weren't wearing their old colors but it gave the thin linen shirt a more intimate feel.

Looking down at the cloth Dian smiled. "You kept it…" He remembered the day it disappeared and had only hoped Yue Jin had stolen in for some sentimental reason. At the time the idea seemed ridiculous. Now, it almost made him cry with joy. "I'm glad you kept it."

"It suits you." Looking at him was overwhelming. Jin suddenly felt unusually aware of their proximity and how tall the man in front of him really was. The perfect height. They fit into each other's arms so well. Like a puzzle. Or so he found himself thinking… A blush crept onto his cheeks as he thought of what might happen next.

For the first time Dian radiated confidence. His journey was about to end. He just had to see it through. "Let's do this properly." With a hand on his chest he took a deep breath, readying himself. Kneeling down in front of the other General he took both hands in his own. "Yue Jin. The truth is… the moment you left I never stopped looking for you." The words came out so easily he couldn't stop. "I never stopped thinking about you. You're the one." The hands in his squeezed ever so slightly. It made him nervous all of a sudden. "…don't make me say it."

Yue Jin's expression melted. The hands holding his felt warm and strong. He watched and waiting knowing it only took a little patience.

He was rewarded with a smile. "I love you." Dian ran a hand through his hair hoping it would help calm his pounding heart. It didn't. "There, I said it."

Yue Jin pulled him to his feet. All past troubles forgiven he nearly jumps into his embrace, wrapping his arms around his neck and tip-toeing to meet his lips for a kiss. Unprepared for the attack Dian stumbled back a step but quickly regained his balance, melting into the warmth of the lips on his. It was their first kiss and it felt like they'd been waiting forever for a single moment.

The black haired General pulled away for only a moment. "Never run away from me again…" He wavered under the intensity of the brown eyes staring into his. "If that's okay…?" He averted his gaze bashfully.

"Never again." Yue Jin pulled him back into a kiss.


End file.
